Craziest things on Ebay are the shipping prices the dickhead sellers want these days. I'm convinced there isn't an honest seller on there anymore.

Honestly though, shipping itself has really gone the roof. I shipped a carded figure with $60 insurance Priority Mail and it cost me better than $8.00. Add in a box and padding material and suddenly you're near $10 just for a carded figure. It's outrageous.

John

You are soooo on the money, it's gotten way outta hand with the USPS. Before this rate hike it was pretty reasonable... I was shocked last night when a 1.5lb package I was shipping to Alabama from NJ was costing me almost $2 more than it used to. Unreal...

I have to agree the shipping prices are insane on ebay. I know some take advantage, but alot is because of the price hikes. I just sent a letter certified, before the price hike around 2.50, now it cost me 5.75. Probably the last time i do that. I think they really need to rethink the prices they charge.

I dunno guys... Price hikes aside, it's not uncommon to see people flat out asking $20 shipping or so on really small items. Yeah things went up, but not that bad. Price gouging through shipping on Ebay isn't a new trend there afterall... So I find it highly unlikely that with the price hike the gouging has ceased. It just seems that the price of shipping went up with the hike... It's to a point it's really outrageous in many auctions, and it's a good reason I don't do as much Ebay shopping for sure.

I'm not immune to shipping hikes either since I ship plenty of stuff in trades, but I think it's pretty clear that many on Ebay are still trying to make up for their lack of profit on auctions by gouging on shipping. That's my experience anyway. I don't think the rates going up at the USPS had any impact on the gouging either positive or negative. Things just moved right along with the price hike.

Absolutely. I got into a fight with a seller about 6 months ago about this. I bought a custom figure for about $20 and the guy wanted $26 to ship. He did have this stated in the auction, but it was hidden in two pages of description and not posted under actual shipping rates. His excuse, which he sent in an email to me, was that he upped his shiping to pay for raw materials & his blood and sweat in making the custom. He said he didn't build those costs into an Ebay reserve price because he wanted to avoid the additional Ebay fees.

I refused to pay $46 for a custom figure that I bid $20 on, so I fought this with Ebay and forwarded all of his communication to them. They have a policy that Shipping can not include any costs that are unrelated to shipping. You'd think they would side with me based on the guy cheating them out of not only a reserve fee, but their % take on an additional $26 in cost, but they didn't push back on the seller at all. I ended up not having to pay, but the guy was able to leave me negative feedback and I was not able to leave feedback for him at all.

I think this is an issue for Ebay to resolve - they can't verify if sellers are really shipping something for $6 when they charge $8, but these obvious chargs like $12 for a loose figure are pretty obvious. If they don't do anything about, I think they should expect to see purchasing decline significantly over the next year.

Absolutely. I got into a fight with a seller about 6 months ago about this. I bought a custom figure for about $20 and the guy wanted $26 to ship. He did have this stated in the auction, but it was hidden in two pages of description and not posted under actual shipping rates. His excuse, which he sent in an email to me, was that he upped his shiping to pay for raw materials & his blood and sweat in making the custom. He said he didn't build those costs into an Ebay reserve price because he wanted to avoid the additional Ebay fees.

Hey JJ,

Let me guess the seller. Is the sellers name onlegend? He is a scumbag and a sneak. He hides his shipping cost that varies from $14 to $26 shipping in a multicolored blurb of garble. He ordered a custom from me and never paid. I wrote him back laying in to him about sticking me and I even called him out on his shipping charges, they always bothered me because I knew what he was doing. His Mom wrote me back and got invloved. Guess how old he is? 27! The other scumbag thing he does, his customs do not match those shown in the crappy pics he takes and may vary. If I bought a custom off ebay it better look like the damn photo! I also loves how he charges material cost in shipping. When I sell a custom thats built into the starting price not shipping.

not every seller on ebay is a crook. I myself (ebay id: Jackoftradze) and my best friend stocos28 charge $4.00 for shipping on our custom figures. Usually $1.50-$2.00 actual shipping, .89-1.78 for the padded envelope and money towards bubble wrap, baggies and gas. As I said earlier I start my customs at a price that includes time, ebay fees and material cost - no hidden fees or catches. I and stocos spell everything clear as day. You see shipping before you view the actual auction with us. Many sellers try to hide it. You have to be careful with sellers and buyers for that matter. Many times you get what you pay for. 8 out of 10 customs I sell have very detailed photos. I always pay extra to show large photos and shoot multiple angles so you know what you are buying. I take great pride in what I sell and would never want anyone to feel taken. My feedback speaks for itself there and her. So not every ebay seller is out to get you, we want you to buy again. I have several followers who trust that.

My postal cost has doubled so USPS rates have been felt by everyone. Its one thing to raise prices but to charge $20 for a loose figure is absurd and is a moral crime.

Onlegend's work is trash anyway, the regular custom buyers seem to have caught on to his hidden fees. I love his descriptions in his auctions like:wwyd "what would yoda do" and my favorite: red saber shown is not included because they are rare. Say what? Red sabers rare, ok. Also look for his line of: the actual figure shown is what you call a "prototype" your figure may vary". Its a custom not a production figure prototype my ass!

Let me guess the seller. Is the sellers name onlegend? He is a scumbag and a sneak. He hides his shipping cost that varies from $14 to $26 shipping in a multicolored blurb of garble. He ordered a custom from me and never paid. I wrote him back laying in to him about sticking me and I even called him out on his shipping charges, they always bothered me because I knew what he was doing. His Mom wrote me back and got invloved. Guess how old he is? 27! The other scumbag thing he does, his customs do not match those shown in the crappy pics he takes and may vary. If I bought a custom off ebay it better look like the damn photo! I also loves how he charges material cost in shipping. When I sell a custom thats built into the starting price not shipping.Can you tell I hate this guy?

OMG! You described my experience perfectly! This is the same guy - shipping is never listed under shipping terms, its hidden somewhere on page 5 of his 10 page item description. He flat out told me that he charges so much for shipping to avoid paying Ebay fees on a larger sell price. His mom (or him acting as his mom) wrote back to me several times as well. Glad to know that the customs don't match what's pictured, since I didn't end up buying from him. my only regret is that Ebay somehow allowed him to give me negative feedback, but I couldn't leave negatives for him. There are few people in the world that I actually 'hate' but this guy is right up near the top of my list.

OMG how pathetic, he is like Norman bates. I went through 5 emails with "Mother" so it was his way of weaseling out. His "Mom" also talked about how much he made as a surveyor. You should report him but is it worth your time? I would not waste time on this clown.

JJ, when I read your experience I knew exactly who it was. And now I really know what he is. Spread the word beware the legend of onlegend!

"He flat out told me that he charges so much for shipping to avoid paying Ebay fees on a larger sell price. "

Save the email and contact eBay about it.

That's flat out against their rules and he can have his account canceled should they feel so inclined.

I did...that's the part that has me so pissed. I contacted Ebay immedaitely, forwarded all of me email with his direct quotes about cheating them and trying to pay less in fees and they did NOTHING. After 3-4 emails trying to follow-up with them, I finally just gave up. The seller left ME negative feedback for not paying like $25 shipping on a loose figure and since I didn't pay, the system wouldn't let me leave any negative feedback for him. Ridiculous.